The Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao (CGDSWM) traces its humble beginning on March 01, 1968 when it was formally known as the third district under the umbrella of the Philippine Navy together with the Philippine Marines. After the separation of the Philippine Coast Guard from the Philippine Navy in 1998, the Third Coast Guard District was later renamed to Coast Guard District Southwester
n Mindanao in 2000. After the demolition of the old CGDSWM building in 2013, its installations and equipment are now located separately from the Naval Station Romulo Espaldon inside the Western Mindanao Command and no longer as tenant unit of the Philippine Navy. The districts area of responsibility covers the maritime areas of Region IX, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), part of Region X and part of Region XII and has been operating with 10 provinces, four cities, 52 coastal municipalities, 231 coastal barangays with a total area of 328,091 square kilometers. At present, this district has nine Coast Guard stations (CGS) in the following are-as: Zamboanga, Sulu, Basilan, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Central Tawi-Tawi, Northern Tawi-Tawi and 31 sub-stations in total. These stations are being supported by the operational control units of South-western Mindanao’s Field Station Unit; Special Operations Unit; Coast Guard K9 units; Marine Environmental Protection Unit; Maritime Safety Services Unit; Weapons, Communications, Electronic, Information Service System Unit; and Medical Service Unit. Moreover, floating assets under the operational control of the district have been utilized to boost up the maritime security and law enforcement operations. In order to define its existence, the CGDSWM focuses on its mission which is to promote safety of life and property at sea; safeguard the marine environment and resources; enforce all maritime laws; and undertake other activities in support to the PCG mission.
